This summer has been filled with too much stuff to do rather than sitting at my computer watching pixels go by. I have to say, ever since C. moved here - - I am spending less and less time in my office on the computer. I used to spend tons of time just talking to him when he lived in California - - but one of the many benefits to him living here is that we’ve both abandoned our computers in favor of some real life fun.

Like watching the grass grow. LOL

Our new house sits on about an acre and a half of land. When we first moved here, the grass was brown, prickly and very much like straw. I never knew what a commitment it is to take a diseased, fledging lawn and turn it into a wondrous greenland of weedless grass. TONS of fertilizer, grass seed and weed killer later - - - I’m telling ya, our lawn is turning into paradise. How easily amused I am with the little things.

My flower garden is also shaping up nicely - - - I’m going to have to take some pictures at my first real attempt at making things grow in something other than a houseplant pot.

The kids just got home from 10 days of summer camp. It’s been a nice and quiet 10 days of no fighting over the bathroom, being able to walk around the house stark naked, eating all of their Cocoa Puffs and only one stereo going at once, instead of three. They had a blast and came home with tons of stories of swimming, fishing, canoeing, camping, new friends and summer fun and games. Reality shock hit when they realized that waiting for them in their rooms were newly purchased backpacks stocked full of school supplies for the up and coming school year. Big bummer! (for them! lol)

I did my boss’s daughters wedding yesterday, and it went really well. I have three tentative new clients who have weddings coming up in September and October that I’ll probably be doing this year. Nice to know I’ve still got ‘it’.

This week, I was approached by a nurse at work to become a partner in a new local company. He approached myself and my boss wanting to know if we’d be interested in starting our own Home Hospice agency - - equal three-way partnership means equal buy-in. I know there is a TON of profit to be had, not too mention providing a very worthy service - - it’s a business that, if done right, just can’t fail. With all the contacts the three of us have in the local (and surrounding) medical community - - I can see this being a pretty successful venture…and it’s something that this community is in need of. It would mean going out and becoming direct competition for the current company we are working for. Our current company is a national corporation who is currently having some pretty significant national financial problems across the board - - so the time seems right. C. is all for it - - the buy in isn’t all that much of an investment (about $50K each) — plus, T. and I have been doing some research into SBA loans and grants available to women-run businesses…so obtaining the start up capital shouldn’t be all that difficult.

We’re just in the very preliminary stages of this - - so we’re probably looking at next summer before we have things ready to go. However, I’m excited about the idea of being a business owner and working for myself - - rather than working my butt off to put the profits in someone else’s pocket. I think that’s the battle cry of most small business owners everywhere. LOL

We’ll see what happens - - but I am pretty optimistic after seeing the preliminary financial reports. I think a round-table discussion with K., T., and our respective spouses (and boyfriend lol) with a nice BBQ and a few cases of beer is in order before the summer is out.

I might blog again sometime in the next month - - the grass needs me! LOL